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Privacy and Security Risks when Authenticating on the Internet with European eID Cards

Whenever we use internet services, the first steps we take are usually identification (we input our names) and authentication (we prove that it is us). How we actually identify and authenticate ourselves depends on the security level of the application. The means used can vary from a simple combination of username and password, through a secret PIN, to a PIN generated by some external device or a smart card using cryptography.
Smart cards are being used increasingly for authentication purposes. Many European identity cards now contain a smart-card chip, equipped with functionalities for online authentication. They are usually called 'electronic identity cards' (eID cards). This report focuses on authentication using smart cards and compares this approach with other common means of authentication.

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The European Union Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA) is a centre of expertise for cyber security in Europe.

ENISA is contributing to a high level of network and information security (NIS) within the European Union, by developing and promoting a culture of NIS in society to assist in the proper functioning of the internal market.